If you are like most Americans, you have at least one ceiling fan in your home. Ceiling fans help our indoor life feel more comfortable. They are a decorative addition to our homes and, if used properly, can help lower energy costs. Check out these tips for making the most of your ceiling fans:

FLIP THE SWITCH – Most ceiling fans have a switch near the blades. In warm months, flip the switch so that the blades operate in a counter clockwise direction, effectively producing a “wind chill” effect. Fans make the air near them feel cooler than it actually is. In winter, move the switch so the fan blades rotate clockwise, creating a gentle updraft. This pushes warm air down from the ceiling into occupied areas of the room. Regardless of the season, try operating the fan on its lowest setting.

ADJUST YOUR THERMOSTAT – In the summer, when using a ceiling fan with or without an air conditioner, you can turn your thermostat up three to five degrees without any reduction in comfort. This saves money since a fan is less costly to run than an air conditioner. In the winter, lower your thermostat’s set point by the same amount.Ceiling fans push the warm air from the ceiling back down toward the living space, which means the HVAC system won’t turn on as frequently.

CHOOSE THE RIGHT SIZE – Make sure your ceiling fan is the right size for the room. A fan that is 36-44 inches in diameter will cool rooms up to 225 square feet. A fan that is 52 inches or more should be used to cool a larger space.

TURN IT OFF – When the room is unoccupied, turn the fan off. Fans are intended to cool people – not rooms.

For more energy tips go to the Energy Center tab on our website and look under Energy Efficiency

A record crowd of members joined the co-op’s board of directors and staff came at this year’s annual meeting on Friday, March 23, at the American Legion Building at the Onslow County Fairgrounds.

Free hot dogs and drinks, giveaways, the business meeting and special entertainment by bluegrass band Unspoken Tradition highlighted this year’s event.

Attendees were treated to informative and educational displays and a kid’s zone featuring Jack the Clown. David Browning, better known as the Mayberry Deputy entertained folks in the audience throughout the night and additional entertainment was provided by the White Oak High Acapella Singers5+ and local gospel favorites King’s Grace. The Camp Lejeune High School Junior ROTC presented the colors before the business meeting.

During the business meeting, Mr. Dale Powell (District One), Mrs. Iris Horne (District Two) and Mr. Thomas Waller and Mr. Chad Meadows (both from District Three) were elected to three year terms.

In addition, door prizes were given away throughout the night with member Velma Harper winning the grand prize, a 2012 Ford F150 (recently retired from the cooperative’s fleet).

Special Prize Winners43″ Toshiba LED Television: Esley Jarman
Couple Married Least Amount of Time: Charlotte and Jeb Silman
Couple Married Longest Amount of Time: Louie and Edna Foy
Oldest Female Member in Attendance: Lula Parker
Oldest Male Member in Attendance: John Percy Brown

While ensuring the safety of our members and employees is a top priority year round, during the month of May, JOEMC joins other electric cooperatives across the state and nation in recognizing National Electrical Safety Month to promote awareness of the dangers of electricity and how to be safe when using electrically powered devices.

Electricity is an essential and dependable resource, but we must all be aware of the serious—and sometimes deadly—consequences of using electricity unsafely, and then wemust take steps to prevent the misuse of electricity.

Many electrical accidents and tragedies involve common items such as power outlets, appliances, power cords, power equipment and extension cords. The good news is that theseaccidents can be avoided through a few simple precautions.

JOEMC is dedicated to educating people of all ages about electrical safety, and we encourage you to make sure that you and your family know about the dangers of electricity and how to use it safely.

Here are several basic tips to keep in mind when using electricity.

Unplug it. Appliances, tools and other devices are still connected to electricity when they are plugged in. Turn off AND unplug all portable electric devices when you’re finished using them.

Toss it. Inspect electrical cords often for broken connectors or fraying, and throw away any worn cords to eliminate the possibility of shock, short circuit or fire.

Cover it. Use plug covers in outlets if you have young children. Teach them never to put their fingers in electrical outlets or appliances, and keep cords and electrical devices away from them.

Avoid it. Never go near a power line. If you encounter a downed line, leave the area immediately and notify your cooperative or call 911. Never place ladders, poles or other items near power lines, and don’t drive over downed lines.

For more safety tips go to the Energy Center tab on our website and look under Safety

“Safety” is a universal word that is mentioned often and usedloosely. Communities large and small as well as companies across all industries are committed to safety. Sports leagues take safety seriously. Unfortunately, when it really counts, steps to keep the public, workers, athletes and loved ones safe are often ignored in the interest of expediency or convenience.

However, safety is a serious issue, especially when it comes to electrical safety. For JOEMC it’s the number one priority. This is not empty talk. Over time, your cooperative has created a cultureof safety by putting our employees’ safety and that of the community above all else. At its essence, JOEMC’s missionis to provide safe, affordable and reliable electricity to its member-owners. At the end of the day we strive to deliver affordable and reliable electricity to our member-owners, but equally important, we want to return our workers home safely to their loved ones. To do this requires ongoing focus, dedication and vigilance.

Working with electricity is an inherently hazardous job, especially for linemen. We have a Safety Manager as well as a safety team whose focus is keeping employees and the community safe around electricity. We establish and follow safety protocols based on leading national safety practices for the utility industry. We require our linemen to wear specialized equipment when working next to or with power lines. There are specific protocols that our linemen follow when dealing with electricity. Our Safety Manager and safety team have regular meetings where they discuss potential situations or day-to-day job duties from a safety perspective. They monitor and track near-misses of accidents in order to understand them, share “lessons learned” and improve in the future.

As importantly, we encourage all of our crews to speak up and hold each other accountable for safety. By cultivating a culture of openness and transparency, we promote problem-solving with regard to safety, rather than defaulting to a blame game. We examine the information and data gleaned from near-misses and accident reports to discern patterns and use safety metrics to improve in those areas where we have fallen short.

Because we live and work in the community we serve, we care about our neighbors. JOEMC participates in electrical safety demonstrations at schools and for community events. We alsoprovide safety tips and information on our website and throughout the year in this newsletter.

May is National Electrical Safety Month. According to the Electrical Safety Foundation, each year thousands of people in the United States are critically injured and electrocuted as a result of electrical fires, accidents and electrocution in their own homes. Many of these accidents are preventable. Don’t overload your outlets or attempt electrical projects around the home…call a licensed electrician. Report downed power lines, unlocked substations or padmount transformers that look amiss.

Contact us or visit our website for additional electrical safety tips. And remember to always be mindful when it comes to electrical safety. Pause and take the extra time to plug into safety.

While your swimming pool or hot tub can be a great place to unwind, you may tense up again
when you get your power bill. There are a few things you can do to keep bills in check like starting with regular maintenance.

For pools, keep the pump and strainer baskets clean and backwash the filter according to the manufacturer’s recommended specifications. For hot tubs or spas, be sure to change old or dirty filter cartridges.

Take a look at the pool pump and how you operate it. Make sure the pump is properly sized by a pool professional. And remember, it’s more economical to keep the pool clean by manually removing most debris and keeping the chemistry at the right level than by constantly recirculating water. Experts suggest using a timer to operate the pump six hours a day and gradually increase the run time if needed.

Heating can extend the pool season, however if you do decide to heat your pool consider an energy efficient heater such as a heat pump water heater or solar pool heater. The cooler you set the temperature, the less energy you use.

To reduce the cost of operating a hot tub or spa, start with an energy efficient model. Make sure your insulated cover is still in good condition and isn’t waterlogged. Adding a floating blanket can decrease the amount of heat lost and for energy efficiency, set the thermostat to 96 degrees Fahrenheit during warm weather and no higher than 102 degrees Fahrenheit when it’s colder.

For more energy tips go to the Energy Center tab on our website and look under Energy Efficiency

Four high school juniors— Ashton Lee, Nirali Patel, Olivia Rodriguez, and Calyssa Stevenson—will be heading to our nation’s capital this summer for a visit. They will represent JOEMC at this year’s Rural Electric Youth Tour in Washington, D.C.

The week-long visit in June, sponsored by Jones-Onslow and other North Carolina co-ops, lets our future leaders learn more about government and the cooperative-way of doing business.

Students were selected through an essay contest available at public high schools in our area. An independent panel of judges selected the winners.

Ashton, who attends Jacksonville High School, is the daughter of Misti and Ernie Lee. She has received several academic awards, has taken all honors courses and is a member of the schools International Baccalaureate Program. Ashton is a member of Skills USA, HOSA andthe swim team and in her spare time enjoys playing the piano, guitar and the clarinet.

Nirali is the daughter of Krupa and Navin Patel. She attends Jones Senior High School and is a member of the National Honor Society as well as the CTE National Honor Society where sheserves in a leadership role as Vice President. Narali is also Junior Class Vice President, serves on the yearbook staff and student council and enjoys dance and photography.

Olivia is the daughter of Monica and Gabriel Rodriguez. She attends Swansboro High School and is a member of the National Honors Society, HOSA and the winter and spring track team.A straight-A student, Olivia has received her certification in Microsoft Word and Powerpoint and is interested in forensics as well as health science.

Calyssa, who attends Swansboro High School, is the daughter of Heather Hopping and Joseph Stevenson. She is a member of Rho Kappa National Social Studies Honor Society, SAVE (Students Against Violence Everywhere) and on the Principal’s List. Calyssa, who has performed in multiple school plays and productions (both a stage-hand and actress), has agreen thumb and enjoys gardening.

To see what else Jones-Onslow is doing in our communities go to The Cooperative tab on our website and look under Community

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About JOEMC

Jones-Onslow EMC is a member of Touchstone Energy®, an alliance of local, consumer-owned electric co-operatives across the country committed to providing superior service to all customers, large and small. We provide high standards of service to all customers —residential, commercial, industrial and agricultural.